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> If it is shipping with Android 8 - an old version of Android. What are the chances that it will ever see any updates? Android 8.1 to be precise. As long as g

> If it is shipping with Android 8 - an old version of Android. What are the chances that it will ever see any updates? Android 8.1 to be precise. As long as google is releasing security updates it should be okay. https://developer.android.com/about/versions/oreo/android-8.1 https://developer.android.com/about/versions/oreo/android-8....

cheesecracker 6y ago
How long will that be, is that known?
- maltelandwehr 6y ago
  I am not aware of any official numbers. But security and basic compatibility should be covered for a few more years; based on how long previous versions continued to receive support/updates.
  - cheesecracker 6y ago
    Thanks!
scarface74 6y ago
Why is it okay to ship a new device with an operating system that is two versions old? Neither Windows, Mac, or iOS users have to worry about that.
- ChrisLTD 6y ago
  For sake of argument, the most important thing is app support, not the operating system. I’d happily run Windows 7 or Mac OS X Snow Leopard if I could still access all the apps I use now.
  - scarface74 6y ago
    Not entirely related to phones, but it is nice that my iPad that I bought in 2016 has gotten operating system support for external hard drives, Ethernet (long story), good support for external pointing devices, better multitasking support, etc. My wife’s iPad that is a year newer will get much better operating system wide support for the Pencil.
- pjmlp 6y ago
  It is not ok, but that is how telecommunications industry has ever worked, "want updates? get a new phone". Even on Symbian best days, you would be lucky to get at very least one time update, and Symbian was the exception, as no else every provided any kind of updates. I agree it is very stupid, but if Google prefers to have Android in every piece of mobile CPU without arm wrestling OEMs, that is never going to change. Note that while Project Treble has actually turned Linux into a pseudo microkernel, where standard Linux drivers are "legacy" and everything else runs on their own process with Android IPC, the situation has hardly changed, because Google is still leaving to the OEMs the responsibility for the update process. On a side note, any of my Windows Phones has gotten more updates than all my Android devices combined. But as I mention in another thread today, iDevices aren't for price sensitive pre-pay customers that use the devices until they die or get stolen. The majority of the world isn't US with free exchange programs every two years. In some locations, the hard paied for unknown brand Android device is the first computer many people manage to own, so they aren't even on Apple's target demographic.
  - scarface74 6y ago
    It is not ok, but that is how telecommunications industry has ever worked, "want updates? get a new phone". It hasn’t work that way since the iPhone came out - in 2007. I agree it is very stupid, but if Google prefers to have Android in every piece of mobile CPU without arm wrestling OEMs, that is never going to change. Yet and still not only can I update my Windows PCs directly from Microsoft without having to wait on the OEMs, I was also able to stick a Windows 7 DVD in my 2006 era Core Duo Mac Mini, install it and it recognized all of my hardware flawlessly. Apple abandoned it years ago, I could still run a supported version of Windows through the beginning of this year. Microsoft figures this out on PCs over 15 years ago with WinHEC and plug and play.
    - pjmlp 6y ago
      Apple is the exception, as they don't rely on 3rd party OEMs. It would be 100% like everyone else had Apple allowed for iOS based OEM devices. Indeed, but that is only thanks to IBM's failure to close back the PC and only applies to desktop and server devices. Even Microsoft isn't able to do much regarding laptops and Windows tablets, and was forced to start their own Surface line. But yes, they still do much better than Google, because Google just doesn't care. Project Trent would have been the opportunity to change contracts for accessing Google services, and they just kept everything regarding OEMs as before. The proof that they don't really care is the support for their own Pixel devices. However as mentioned before, not everyone on this planet can afford to be an Apple customer and OS updates aren't certainly on their daily worries.
- boomlinde 6y ago
  The main concern for me is not the feature difference between Android 8.1 and 9, but the security updates. As long as those are shipping I think it's okay. So, to turn the question around, assuming this is your stance, why is it not okay?
- smoe 6y ago
  I think it would be ok if the older version gets e.g. much better battery life out of the device This as an argument I heard for using older android versions for low end phones around 50$, because newer versions run horrible on them. I'm not enough into mobile phones to judge whether this is true, but OS version is a tradeoff I would be willing to make dependent on what I'm looking for
- farmerbb 6y ago
  Android 9 was released only a couple of months before the Palm Phone. I'd say it's reasonable that the device shipped with Android 8.1.
  - scarface74 6y ago
    For context, back when I bought a Dell laptop running Vista but after Windows 7 had been announced, but not released, Dell guaranteed Windows 7 compatibility and made free upgrades available. How long is the Windows beta available for major updates to give the ecosystem a chance to test for compatibility. Google just doesn’t know how to handle an ecosystem.

cheesecracker 6y ago

How long will that be, is that known?

maltelandwehr 6y ago
I am not aware of any official numbers. But security and basic compatibility should be covered for a few more years; based on how long previous versions continued to receive support/updates.
- cheesecracker 6y ago
  Thanks!

scarface74 6y ago

Why is it okay to ship a new device with an operating system that is two versions old? Neither Windows, Mac, or iOS users have to worry about that.

ChrisLTD 6y ago
For sake of argument, the most important thing is app support, not the operating system. I’d happily run Windows 7 or Mac OS X Snow Leopard if I could still access all the apps I use now.
- scarface74 6y ago
  Not entirely related to phones, but it is nice that my iPad that I bought in 2016 has gotten operating system support for external hard drives, Ethernet (long story), good support for external pointing devices, better multitasking support, etc. My wife’s iPad that is a year newer will get much better operating system wide support for the Pencil.
pjmlp 6y ago
It is not ok, but that is how telecommunications industry has ever worked, "want updates? get a new phone". Even on Symbian best days, you would be lucky to get at very least one time update, and Symbian was the exception, as no else every provided any kind of updates. I agree it is very stupid, but if Google prefers to have Android in every piece of mobile CPU without arm wrestling OEMs, that is never going to change. Note that while Project Treble has actually turned Linux into a pseudo microkernel, where standard Linux drivers are "legacy" and everything else runs on their own process with Android IPC, the situation has hardly changed, because Google is still leaving to the OEMs the responsibility for the update process. On a side note, any of my Windows Phones has gotten more updates than all my Android devices combined. But as I mention in another thread today, iDevices aren't for price sensitive pre-pay customers that use the devices until they die or get stolen. The majority of the world isn't US with free exchange programs every two years. In some locations, the hard paied for unknown brand Android device is the first computer many people manage to own, so they aren't even on Apple's target demographic.
- scarface74 6y ago
  It is not ok, but that is how telecommunications industry has ever worked, "want updates? get a new phone". It hasn’t work that way since the iPhone came out - in 2007. I agree it is very stupid, but if Google prefers to have Android in every piece of mobile CPU without arm wrestling OEMs, that is never going to change. Yet and still not only can I update my Windows PCs directly from Microsoft without having to wait on the OEMs, I was also able to stick a Windows 7 DVD in my 2006 era Core Duo Mac Mini, install it and it recognized all of my hardware flawlessly. Apple abandoned it years ago, I could still run a supported version of Windows through the beginning of this year. Microsoft figures this out on PCs over 15 years ago with WinHEC and plug and play.
  - pjmlp 6y ago
    Apple is the exception, as they don't rely on 3rd party OEMs. It would be 100% like everyone else had Apple allowed for iOS based OEM devices. Indeed, but that is only thanks to IBM's failure to close back the PC and only applies to desktop and server devices. Even Microsoft isn't able to do much regarding laptops and Windows tablets, and was forced to start their own Surface line. But yes, they still do much better than Google, because Google just doesn't care. Project Trent would have been the opportunity to change contracts for accessing Google services, and they just kept everything regarding OEMs as before. The proof that they don't really care is the support for their own Pixel devices. However as mentioned before, not everyone on this planet can afford to be an Apple customer and OS updates aren't certainly on their daily worries.
boomlinde 6y ago
The main concern for me is not the feature difference between Android 8.1 and 9, but the security updates. As long as those are shipping I think it's okay. So, to turn the question around, assuming this is your stance, why is it not okay?
smoe 6y ago
I think it would be ok if the older version gets e.g. much better battery life out of the device This as an argument I heard for using older android versions for low end phones around 50$, because newer versions run horrible on them. I'm not enough into mobile phones to judge whether this is true, but OS version is a tradeoff I would be willing to make dependent on what I'm looking for
farmerbb 6y ago
Android 9 was released only a couple of months before the Palm Phone. I'd say it's reasonable that the device shipped with Android 8.1.
- scarface74 6y ago
  For context, back when I bought a Dell laptop running Vista but after Windows 7 had been announced, but not released, Dell guaranteed Windows 7 compatibility and made free upgrades available. How long is the Windows beta available for major updates to give the ecosystem a chance to test for compatibility. Google just doesn’t know how to handle an ecosystem.